Cupcakes for koalas a success

TEN-year-old Catherine Kane has been hard at work baking for a cause, with money raised by selling her cupcakes recently donated to Ballarat Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation, or BWRAC.

Catherine contacted the organisation saying she was a wildlife lover who wanted to raise an amount of money which could be put towards a project.

Catherine raised $200 selling cupcakes at school and this money went towards privacy screens which the BWRAC have used for their koala rehabilitation enclosures.

“I started making cupcakes at home and once we had 100 I took them to school and sold them all,” she said.

As koalas are wild animals, they don’t like contact with humans, and these screens will help ensure as little contact as possible.

They were installed last weekend and Catherine was on site to assist.

“It’s important we look after our wildlife because otherwise we won’t have animals,” she said.

Her mother Anita Kane said Catherine has always been interested in animals and native wildlife.

“She’s always loved wildlife,” said Ms Kane. “She’s done it all, she contacted the BWRAC, she contacted the school and got permission to run the fundraiser and she baked all the cupcakes.”

BWRAC rescued 49 koalas in the Ballarat region over the last two-and-a-half years but 85 per cent passed away due to their injuries.

The survivors stay in enclosures that provide them with a place to be rehabilitated before returning to the wild.

“We’ve got multiple animals here at the same time and we need to keep them apart,” said Nikki Shanahan, the owner of the property where the screens were installed.

“It’s much better if they do not see or smell each other.”

Ms Shanahan said it was exciting to receive such an amazing donation from Catherine.

“It was amazing and it’s really lovely that the younger generation are engaged and aware and care,”’ she said. “I think it’s awesome.”